Monday, September 18, 2006

Touch

Cyanide and Happiness, a daily webcomic
Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net



Cyanide & Happiness, in addition to Ian's The Adventures of the S-Team and XKCD, is one of the webcomics that I enjoy. They make me laugh unexpectedly sometimes. The cartoon above, however, is funny and sad at the same time. Isn't it scary, the thought of not being able to touch someone?

Let's say for example, I come across a perverted genie who commands me to name a sense I could live without (and let's say I can't say no or run away because he'll blow up the world or something like that), which one among the human senses or abilities would I choose to give up? I can't choose common sense since I don't have that anyway, har har. But I sure as hell wouldn't want to go without any of the five senses.

I think I'd give up the ability to speak.

It would be no great loss, really. I don't sing and I don't talk much. It might be a tad difficult to believe because I spew all sorts of things here on my blog. But people who know me personally know that I'm pretty quiet. Sure, I can pitch in my two cents' worth in a conversation, but that doesn't happen too often...especially when I find myself among people I don't really know. I much prefer to listen to what others are saying. I'm never the life of the party. I like to remain in the background, unnoticed, listening to what others are saying. I'm just silent most of the time. So losing the ability to speak would probably be the one ability I'd give up (not that I'd want to, take note. Just in case I come across a crazy genie).

I wouldn't want to lose the sense of touch, though.

Not to say that I'm a touchy-feely person. I treasure my personal space. I hate it when strangers come within a foot of me. Touch me not! But people I love are not only welcome to enter my space, I've been known to drag them in against their will. Touching and being touched is a wondrous thing.

By the way, I've put up a shoutbox. It's at the left side of this blog, just scroll down a bit to see it. So if you feel like it, just shout, shout, let it all out. :-)

11 comments:

NanNan said...

Please keep that crazy genie locked up!! But if it does get loose, I'll need some time-- my learning style has always been do it wrong first--- for this, I'd have to get it right-- I'm leaning towards taste--- that goes first anyway, and it would just be like having a perpetual cold, and I MIGHT LOSE WEIGHT !! Where is that genie ?????

Ian said...

I don't know what sense I could live without. I'm pretty much a hedonist at heart, and the loss of one method of experiencing pleasure would be horrible to one used to it.

Ian

Anonymous said...

Nice post! Especially in my country, among friends, when we see each other, we hug one another :) i am a bir broken about the pic. it is sad. Many experts say that we should touch the people whom we love. it is one of the best way to show them our love. It is same about babies. I know families who never touch their babies although they love much. Most of people aren't aware of importance of touching. Maybe this post will help people to wake up :)
By the way i don't know what sense i could live without..hmm...

Osman

H said...

Lizza = quiet?

no Waaaaaaaaaay!

you sound spookily like me. spooky.

that's a great comic. so so scintilatingly sick

PS: scintilating is a scintilating word. and I had to use it. i don't even know if i've spelt it correctly. hmmm.

Lizza said...

nannan: Haha! Nooo, not taste. Well, okay...maybe just temporarily until weight loss is achieved. :-)

Gale: The wall thing is a great idea. I'm still thinking about what things to put. The kind of graffiti I used to make as a kid wouldn't be suitable. :-) And yes, I'm so deep I drown in myself sometimes.

Ian: What a nice word, that. Hedonist. Sounds so self-indulgent. Which I am, too. :-)

Osman: Studies also show that babies benefit from being touched. Touch therapy is also good for adults. It's a good thing to experience, just not from strangers. :-)

H: Just add one more "L." You're right, it's a brilliant word. Now I have to think of a special word that I can use today. There are so many of them! And I think being spookily alike is a nice surprise. Hey, there's a word! Spooky.

Anonymous said...

I need to be able to speak and make those around me laugh, I've always been that way. It's the touching I usually can't stand. I have about 4 people on my touch or hug list that can get within less than 5 feet of me. I don't know why I'm that way, but I am.

Good for you being able to give up the ability to speak. There should be more people like that. We all need to listen more and speak less...but does that mean getting rid of comments out here in blogsville? Have a great day.

Lizza said...

Michael, noooooo. Getting rid of the comments in blogsville would be a Very Bad Thing.

Kiyotoe said...

i'm with ian on this one. There is pleasure to be gained from all the senses and being as accustomed and attached to pleasure as I am, i guess the lesser of the evils would be taste.

But i sure would miss my world famous shrimp and crab linguini. Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

Foofa said...

Personally I would nix smell. There can be good smells but I don't notice them as much as I notice bad smells. Living in a big city you encounter many more bad smells than good ones. Yup, smell it is. As long as it doens't alter my sense of taste since they are so closely linked. I like food.

Lizza said...

Kiyotoe: Losing taste would bring a tear to my eye too. Nay, it would open a floodgate.

Natalie: The wind doesn't smell good in Chicago? You're right though, as long as it doesn't affect your sense of taste then smell it is for you.

Prometheus said...

This one's damn easy. Prometheus has one sense in overabundance that he'd gladly give up to any genie. Nonsense.

Stage Two of the mission is, once the genie, full of this new sense, has become verily like Mr. Presidink of Yoonited Staties, we make him make other less addled genies do all our bidding.

Here genie, genie, genie.